Latch assembly for medicine cabinets



1964 R. F. ANDERSON ETAL 3,160,431

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICINE CABINETS Filed Feb. 26. 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I J; 'g 23 "1 j l rzde'rtfor's.

' I lfalpiffllzderson. Charles afi all rerz 1964 R. F. ANDERSON ETAL 3,160,431

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICINE CABINETS Filed Feb. 26, 1962 '3 Sheets-Sheet 2 172 1ferzi o 1'5 id #7742750 Charles jffalljfelz ZQZ 7////////// rvv Dec. 8, 1964 Filed Feb. 26, 1962 R. F. ANDERSON ETAL 3,160,431

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR MEDICINE CABINETS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Marnsys United States Patent 3,160,431 LATCH ASEMP=LY FOR MEDECINE CAEHNETS Ralph F. Anderson and Charles G. Hallgren, Rockford, Ill., assignors to National Lock 60., Rockford, ill, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 175,413

20 Claims. (Cl. 292-42) The present invention relates to a novel latch assembly and more particularly to an improved safety latch for medicine cabinets to prevent unauthorized access by small children. i g

In the copending application of Ralph F. Anderson, Serial No. 118,067, filed June 19, 1961, now abandoned, is presented a simple latch structure for a medicine cabinet which cannot be operated by a young child to open the cabinet door. The concept of that invention resides in a latch having two widely spaced reciprocable pushers at the opposite ends which must be depressed and operated simultaneously. As thespan of the hand of a young child is not sufficiently large to enable the child to operate these pushers simultaneously with but one hand thus leaving the other hand free to open the cabinet door, such child cannot gain access to the medicines in the cabinet.

The present invention is an improvement upon the above copending application in that the dexterity and coordination of a child are not sufficiently developed to operate three buttons simultaneously with one hand, the other hand being necessarily free to open the door. Not only does the present invention have reciprocable outwardly biased and widely spaced pusher members at the opposite ends of the latch assembly, but also an intermediate push button which must be operated with a finger simultaneously with the operation of the widely spaced pushers by the thumb and another finger, and thus positively limiting opening of the swinging or sliding door of a medicine cabinet.

An important object of the present invention is the provision of a novel latch assembly for a medicine cabinet in which the latched cabinet door cannot be opened by a small child and thus, gain access to the interior of the cabinet and any contained poisonous or potentially harmful substance.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved latch assembly which is operated by two end pusher members in conjunction with an intermediate push button. The distance or spacing between the actuating portions of the end pusher members is greater than the span of a young childs hand and, further, the child is incapable of actuating all three pusher members simultaneously which is required to release the strike or latching mechanism before the cabinet door can be swung or slid to open position.

The present invention also comprehends a novel strike member having three keeper surfaces, one for each pusher member, which are engaged by the latching surfaces of the individual pusher members. The strike is shown attached to the medicine cabinet door so that two distinct operations are required to release and then to open the door for access to the cabinet. The first operation is the simultaneous actuation of the three pusher members to release latching engagement with the strike, and the second operation is the swinging or sliding movement of the door to open position.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

\ FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a 3,16%,431 Patented Dec. 8, 1964 medicine cabinet showing one embodiment of the improved latch assembly of the present invention in operative position on a medicine cabinet with a swinging cabinet door carrying the strike moved to partially open position.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged View, part in side elevation and part in vertical cross section, of the novel latch assembly and strike member of FIG. 1 but shown in latched position.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view similar to FIG. 2 but with the latch assembly shown completely in vertical cross section and in release position with the strike member withdrawn from the latch assembly upon opening of the door.

FIG. 4- is a front elevational view of the latch assembly of FIG. 1 shown in latched position and showing the three pushers or push buttons.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 of the latch assembly showing the limiting means for the opposed pushers and the mounting tabs to mount the assembly on a medicine cabinet.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 6--% of FIG. 2 and showing a limiting tab which cooperates with a pusher member.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the latch housing of FIG. 1.

FiG. 8 is a perspective view of the upper pusher member of the embodiment of FIG. 1 which is mounted in the latch housing, the lower pusher member being identical but reversed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the intermediate pusher member of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the strike member of FIG. 1 which is mounted on the pivoted door of the medicine cabinet.

FIG. ll is a partial front elevational view of a medicine cabinet having a sliding door with the door partially open to disclose another embodiment of safety latching means.

P16. 12 is an end View of the cabinet taken on the line 1212. of FIG. 11 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 13 is a view partially in vertical cross-section showing the latch assembly of FIG. 11 mounted in the cabinet frame.

FIG. 14 is a view, partially in vertical cross-section and a portion broken away to show the interior of the upper pusher member, the section being taken on the line 1 i-Il4 of FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of one of the pusher members of FIG. 13 having a locking projection.

FIG. 16 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 1616 of FIG. 13 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the strike member which is secured to the door as shown in FIG. 11.

Referring particularly to the disclosure in the drawings and to the novel illustrative embodiments of the invention shown therein, FIGS. 1 to 10, inclusive, disclose one embodiment of the latch assembly on a medicine cabinet 10 having a door 11 hinged along one edge to the cabinet frame 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The medicine cabinet lll is of any conventional design and may be recessed within an opening in the wall of the bathroom or powder room or be suitably mounted on the Wall.

This embodiment of the improved latch construction of the present invention includes a latch assembly 13 preferably mounted on the cabinet frame 12 on the side opposite to the hinged mounting of the door 11 and a strike member 14 mounted on the cabinet door 11 and having spaced interlocking projections adapted to be reends of the housing 15. Each projection 16 is provided with an opening 1'7 adapted to receive suitable securing means to attach the housing to the cabinet frame 12.

The anchoring wall 18 of the housing from which the anchoring projections extend is also provided with a pair. of spaced openings 1?, a projection or tongue 2i extending into each opening for a purpose to be described later. In the front wall 22 adjoining the wall 155 and f cing the cabinet door 11 are three spaced openings 23, each opening being substantially square or rectangular and shown extending for approximately the width of the wall.

A pusher member or push button 24 (FIG. 8) is inserted into each of the opposite open ends 25 of the housing and an intermediate pusher 26 (FIG. 9) is lo cated within the housing adjacent the centrally located opening 23. A relatively strong coil or expansion spring 27 is positioned Within the housing between the lower pusher member and the intermediate pusher 26, and a relatively light or somewhat lighter coil or expansion spring 23 is positioned between the intermediate pusher and the upper pusher member 24 for a purpose to be described later. Each pusher member 24 is channel shaped but provided with closed ends and 39 (FIG. 8). An opening 31!. is formed in the front Wall or base 32 of the member 2 p This opening 31 is substantially the same size as its mating opening 23 in the housing 15, the openings adapted to coincide in the release position of the pusher member (FIG. 3). Centrally located notches 33 in the parallel side walls 34 of each pusher member 24 are positioned to coincide with one of the spaced openings 19 in the housing; the tongue 21 in each opening bent inwardly into a notch 33 to retain each pusher member 24 within the housing 15' and thereby limit reciprocable or longitudinal movement of the pusher member (H68. 6 and 7).

The intermediate or middle pusher as is also channel shaped and provided with closed ends 35 (FIG. 9). An intermediate opening 36 is formed in the front wall or base 37 of the middle pusher and adapted to coincide with the middle mating opening 23 in the housing 115. Aligned openings 38 and 33' are formed in the side Walls 39, offset from the center of the pusher 26, and are aligned with an elongated slot at in the wall 41 of the housing 15.

A push button 42 has an enlarged head 43 and a stepped shank 4 twith the reduced end portion 45 of the shank adapted to be received within the opening 38 in one side wall 39 of the pusher 26. The elongated slot is of a width to accommodate the shank 4d and the length of the slot 40 limits the reciprocal movement of the push button 42 and the pusher 26. The push button and pusher are assembled with the pusher within the housing 15 and the push button 42 on the exterior of the housing and the stepped shank 44 extending through the slot ill and the reduced end portion 45 projecting into and through the opening 38 with the end of the shank being upset to form an enlarged end so that the push button 42 and middle pusher 26 remain as a unit The aligned opening 33' is preferably slightly larger than the opening 38 to permit the insertion of a suitable tool to upset the end 45 of the shank.

As seen in FIG. 10, the strike member 14 has a mounting flange 46 containing openings 47 for suitable anchoring means, such as screws, to secure the strike member to the cabinet door 11. At a right angle to the flange 46 is the latching portion or strike 48 having a connecting base or web 4% terminating in three spaced camming and locking projections 51, 51 and 51 which are aligned with the three spaced openings 23 in the housing 15. Each projection 51 has an enlarged head 52 with angularly disposed intersecting camming surfaces 53 and 54 which terminate in a rounded point 55. The camming surface 54 terminates short of the base 49 in an undercut surface or shoulder 56 which is spaced from the upper surface 57 of the base 49 to provide a notch 53 for receiving a locking surface of a pusher member 24 or as. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 10, the notches 58 on the upper and intermediate projections 51 open downwardly while the notch 58 on the lower projection 51 opens upwardly and its head 52 is provided with camming surfaces 53' and 54'.

With reference to FIG. 1, the door 11 is ajar and the latch assembly 13 is spring-biased to its normal locking position. in this position, the spring 27 biases the lower pusher member 24 outwardly or downwardly and biases the intermediate pusher 26 upwardly to their respective latching positions. The light spring 28 cannot overcome the force of the heavier spring 27 to move the intermediate pusher 26 downwardly, but only biases the upper pusher 24 to its upper or outermost latching position. The movement of the pusher members 24 is limited by the tongues 21 in the housing 15 and the movement of the intermediate pusher 26 is limited by the slot 40 and the push button 42.

With all of the pushers 24 and as in their latching positions, the openings 23 in the housing 15 and the openings 3-1 and 36 in the pusher members 24 and intermediate pusher 26, respectively, only partially coincide (see FIG. 4). As the door is closed, the strike member lid has its projections 51 and 51' guided into the openings 23 inthe housing 15. The camming surfaces 54 and 54' on the projections 51 and 51 engage the edges of the pusher members 24 and 26 at the openings 31 and 36,

respectively, and urge the pusher members 24 inwardly,

and the intermediate pusher 26 downwardly against the action of the springs 27 and 28. When the undercut surfaces 56 and 56' of the projections 53 and 51' are reached, the springs cause the pusher members to snap back to their normal latching positions with the adjoining edge of each pusher member defining one side of the openings 31 and 36 passing over an undercut surface 56 and 56' of the strike member to retain the door closed (see FIG. 2).

To release the latch and open the door, both pusher members 24 must be urged inwardly and the push button 42 urged downward simultaneously to release the projections 51 and 51' of the strike 14 and the door may then be manually opened. The distance between the outer ends 29 of the two pusher members 24 is greater than the span of a childs hand,-and a childs dexterity is not developed sufliciently to operate all three buttons simultaneously with one hand and open the door with the other. If a child should operate all three push buttons with both hands, he does not have a hand free to openthe door.

By mounting the latch assembly on the cabinet and the strike on the door or closure, the novel safety latch is rendered most effective for it assures against the opening of the door by a child whocannot span and operate the push buttons with one hand and have the other hand free to open the door. Only by using both hands can be possibly actuate all three push buttons simultaneously and this does not permit such child to manually open the door while holding all three latch members in release position.

A second embodiment of the novel latch construction, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 17, inclusive, is utilized for medicine cabinets havinga sliding door or overlapping sliding doors. As seen in FIG. ll, a medicine cabinet N is provided with one or more sliding doors 11 which slide in tracks formed in the rails of the frame 12 of the cabinet Ill The latch assembly 13 is shown mounted within the cabinet frame 12* with only the actuating pusher pins exposed. The strike membet 14 is shown secured upon the interior surface and edge of the door 11 to interact with the latch assembly.

The latch assembly again comprises a tubular housing 15 (FIG. 13) having anchoring projections 16* provided with openings 17 for suitable screws or other securing means to secure the housing in the cabinet frame 12. The rear wall 18 of the housing has its edge spaced from the adjacent wall forming an elongated slot or opening 59 (FIG. 16) for a purpose to be later described.

Three substantially identical pusher members or slides 24 are inserted in the tubular housing 15 with a relatively strong coil spring 27 positioned between the bottom and middle pusher members and a somewhat lighter coil spring 2t between the middle and top members, with the pusher members and springs functioning in a manner similar to the first embodiment. Each pusher member 24 is channel shaped and provided with closed ends 291* and 30 (FIG. 15). A small opening 61 is positioned in the wall or base 32 of the pusher member intermeditae the ends thereof to receive the reduced end 63 of a pusher pin or button 62.

Each of the. upper two slides or pusher members 24 further has a locking projection 64 and the lower slide or pusher member 24 has a locking pro-jection 64- extending from one edge 65 of the member intermediate its ends with the projection 64 having an enlarged head 66 with angular camming surfaces 67 terminating in a rounded point. One camming surface terminates short of the edge 65 to form an undercut surface or shoulder 68 which. is spaced from the edge 65 to receive a looking surface of the strike 14 The lower locking projection 64' has its camming surfaces 67 and shoulder 68' reversed.

When assembled in the tubular housing 14*, the projections 64 and 64 on the pusher members 24 extend through the slot 59 toward the sliding door 11. In the opposite wall 69 of the housing 15 are formed elongated spaced slots 71 and 71 through which extend the projecting pusher pins 62 secured to the pusher members 24 The end pusher pins 62 are spaced'apart a distance greater than the span of a childs hand so that the child cannot operate the latch assembly. Further, the child cannot operate all three pusher pins simultaneously due to lack of dexterity of the child. Each slot 71 and 71' limits movement of the pusher pin 62 extending therethrough and thus limits movement of the related pusher member 24*. As seen in FIG. 12, the edge 72 of the cabinet frame 12 has open-ended slots 73 mating with the elongated slots 71 and 71' and extending rearwardly to allow assembly of the completed latch construction within the frame.

The strike member 14 (FIG. 17) has a mounting flange 46 containing at least one opening 47 for a screw or suitable anchoring means to secure the strike member to the sliding door 11*. At a right angle to the mounting flange is the latching portion or strike 48 extending along one edge of the door. The strike 48 contains three spaced openings 74 which coincide with the three locking projections 64 and 64 on the pusher members 24 Extending laterally from the strike 48 are spaced tabs 75 aligned with the openings 74 and utilized to abut the edge of the door 11 and position the strike member therein. I

When installed, this embodiment has the same operation as that of the first embodiment except that the locking projections 64 and 64" move or reciprocate rather than the locking openings. Thus, as the door is closed, the strike 48 engages the projections 64 and 64' on the pusher members 24 and, due to the camming sur faces 67', the upper and middle projections 64- move downward and the lower projection 64 moves upward against the action of the springs 27 and 28 When the undercut surfaces 68 and 68' on the projections are reached, the pusher members 24- and their associated projections snap back to the normal locking position. To

6 nelease the door, the upper and intermediate pusher pins 62 are moved downwardly and the lower pin 62 is moved upwardly to release the locking projections from the strike member 14 so that the door may be manually moved to open position.

While the invention has been shown and described as being advantageously applicable to a medicine cabinet, it is not our desire or intent to unnecessarily limit the scope or the utility of the improved features by virtue of this use of the invention.

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

1. A safety latchmechanism for a medicine cabinet having a door movable to open position for access to the cabinet, comprising a latch assembly secured to the medicine cabinet and a strike member secured to the door, said latch assembly including a housing open at its opposite ends and having spaced openings along one side thereof, latchmembers longitudinally movable in said housing, said latch members including opposed pusher members with the outer actuating end of each pusher member projecting through an open end of the housing and so spaced apart that they cannot be actuated by a child with but one hand, and a middle pusher between the opposed pusher members, latching means on said latch members cooperating with said spaced openings in said housing, resilient means between each of said opposed pusher members and the middle pusher urging the latch members to their latched positions, said strike member including spaced latching projections adapted to enter the spaced openings in the housing, camming surfaces on said projections engaging said latching means and urging said latch members to unlatched position and latching surfaces on the projections cooperating with the latching means on the latch members, said latch members being manually actuated simultaneously to their unlatched positions to release said strike member.

2. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 1, in which a laterally extending push button is secured to said middle pusher to permit manual actuation.

3. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 1, in which the exposed ends of the outer pusher members are separated by a distance greater than the span of a childs'hand.

4. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet having a door movable to open position for access to the cabinet, comprising a latch assembly secured to the cabinet and a cooperating strike member secured to the door, said latch assembly including a housing open at both ends and having spaced openings in one side of the housing facing the strike member, spring-biased reciprocable latch members mounted for limited reciprocable movement in said housing, said latch members including opposed push buttons with an outer exposed end of each push button extending through an open end of the housing and a middle pusher within the housing between said opposed push buttons, each latch member moving between a latched and unlatched position and having an opening moving into coinciding relation with one of said openings in the housing when the aligned. latch member is in its unlatched position, springmeans between each push button and the middle pusher to bias the push buttons outwardly to their latched positions and the middle pusher to its latched position, said strike member having spaced projections which enter the spaced openings in the latch housing 'when the door is moved toward closed position, camming surfaces on each projection engaging the latch members and urging said members to unlatched position, and latching surfaces on said projections which engage the latch members to retain the strike member in latched position when the door is closed.

5. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 4, in which said spring means in.- cludes a relatively strong expansion spring between one push button and the middle pusher urging said push buta ton and middle pusher to their unlatched positions, and a relatively light expansion spring between the opposite push button and said middle pusher which urges the latter push button to latched position.

6. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 4, in which a laterally extending push button is secured to said middle pusher for manual actuation thereof.

7. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 4, in which the latch members and the latch housing have interengaging means to retain and limit movement of the latch members.

8. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 4-, in which the interengaging means for said middle pusher includes an elongated slot in said latch housing and a laterally extending push button which projects through said slot and is secured to said middle pusher.

9. A safety latch mechanism for a pair of relatively movable members such as a medicine cabinet and a door movable to open position for gaining access to the interior of the cabinet, comprising a latch assembly mounted on one member and a strike member on the other, said latch assembly including a housing open at both ends and ha ing spaced openings in one side of the housing facing the strike member, aligned latch members mounted for limited reciprocable movement in said housing and including opposed members each having an outer exposed end extending through an open end of said housing, a middle pusher between said opposed members, a laterally extending push button secured to said middle pusher to provide for manual actuation thereof, each latch member moving a latched and an unlatched position and having an opening movable into coinciding relationship with an opening in the housing when the member is in its unlatched position, an expansion spring in said housing between one opposed latch member and said middle pusher to urge said members to their latched positions, a relatively light expansion spring between said middle pusher and the other opposed latch member to urge said last mentioned latch member to its latched position, said strike member having spaced projections which enter the spaced openings in said housing when the door is moved toward closed position, and interlocking means on each latch member and the cooperating projection on the strike member for retaining the door closed until said latch members are simultaneously released from latch engagement.

10. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like including a cabinet member and a manually movable closure member, comprising a latch assembly mounted on one of said members and a strike member on the other, said latch assembly including a housing open at its opposite ends and having a least one opening along one side thereof, latch members longitudinally movable in said housing including opposed pusher members and an intermediate pusher between the opposed pushed members, latching means on said latch members cooperating with said opening in said housing, resilient means between each of said opposed pusher members and the intermediate pusher urging the latch members to their latched positions, and said strike member including complementary latching means cooperating with said latching [means on the latch members, said latch members being manually actuated simultaneously to their unlatched position to release said strike member. 1 t

11. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 10, in which alaterally extending push button is secured to said middle pusher for its manual actuation.

12. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 10, in which the actuating portions of the outer pusher members are separated by a distance greater than the span of a childs hand.

13. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 10, in which said resilient means includes a relatively strong expansion spring between one of the opposed pusher members and the intermediate pusher urging said pusher member and middle pusher to their latched positions, and a relatively light expansion spring between the other opposed pusher member and said middle pusher which urges the other opposed pusher member to latched position.

14. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet as set forth in claim 10, in which said latch members and said housing have interengaging means to retain and limit movement of the latch members.

15. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like as set forth in claim 10, in which said closure member is a sliding door with said strike member secured thereto, said opening in said housing comprising an elongated slot in the side thereof facing the door, said latching means including a locking projection on each latch member extending through the slot toward said door, each locking projection including camming surfaces on each projection engaging the strike member and latching surfaces on said projections, said strike member having spaced openings aligned with said locking projections, latching surfaces on said strike member adapted to engage the latching surfaces on said projections, and a pusher pin secured to each latch member and extending through an elongated opening in the housing to the exterior of the cabinet, said elongated openings limiting movement of said latch members.

16. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like as set forth in claim 10, in which said latch assembly being mounted on the cabinet and said strike memher being mounted on the door, said opening being an elongated slot in the side of the housing facing the door, and said latching means on said latch members including a locking projection on each latch member extending through said slot toward said door.

17. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like as set forth in claim 16, including a projecting pin secured to each latch member for simultaneous manual actuation of the latch members to their release position before the closure member can be opened.

18. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like including a cabinet member and a manually movable closure member, comprising a latch assembly mounted on one of said members and a strike member on the other, said latch assembly including a tubular housing having at least one opening along one side thereof, latch members longitudinally movable in said housing including oppose/cl pusher members and a middle pusher positioned between the opposed pusher members, latching means on each of said latch members cooperating with said opening in said housing, a relatively strong expansion spring between one of the opposed pusher members and said middle pusher urging the said opposed pusher member and middle pusher to their latched positions, a relatively light expansion spring between the other opposed pusher member and said middle pusher urging said other opposed pusher member to its latched position, interengaging means on said latch members and housing to retain and limit movement of the latch members, and said strike member having complementary latching means cooperating with thelatching means on said latch members, said latch members being simultaneously actuated to release said strike member, one of said latching means including spaced lockingprojections having camming surfaces and latching surfaces and the other latching means having spaced openings and latching surfaces cooperating with the latching surfaces on the spaced projections, said projections and openings being movable relative to each other to latch or release the closure member and the cabinet member.

19. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like as set forth in claim 18, in which said closure member is a sliding door, said opening in the housing comprising an elongated slot in one side thereof facing the strike member, saidrlocking projections being mounted on each pusher member and extending through said slot to- Ward the strike member and said strike member having said spaced openings, and a laterally extending pusher pin secured to each pusher member for manual actuation thereof, said housing having spaced elongated openings in one side through which the pusher pins extend and which limit movement of the pusher members.

20. A safety latch mechanism for a medicine cabinet or the like as set forth in claim 19, in which the pusher pins for the opposed pusher members are spaced apart a distance greater than the span of a childs hand and said door can only be opened upon simultaneous actuation of said pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 530,862 Teed Dec. 11, 1894 2,233,699 Gorrell Mar. 4, 1941 2,936,189 Pearson May 10, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,345 Germany Jan. 9, 1879 TES PATENT OFFICE UNITED STA CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 160 431 December a, 1964 Ralph F. Anderson et al.

erred patrs in the above numb etoers Patent should read as It is hereby certified that error appea ent requiring correction and that the said L corrected below.

"be" read he column 5 line Column 4, line 63, for

35, for 14 read 15 line 66, for "64" read 64' column '7 line 1, for "unlatched" read latched line .33, after "moving? insert between line 57, for "pushed" read pusher same column 7 nd sealed this 20th day of April 1965.

Signed a (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNE] Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer 

10. A SAFETY LATCH MECHANISM FOR A MEDICINE CABINET OR THE LIKE INCLUDING A CABINET MEMBER AND A MANUALLY MOVABLE CLOSURE MEMBER, COMPRISING A LATCH ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID MEMBERS AND A STRIKE MEMBER ON THE OTHER, SAID LATCH ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A HOUSING OPEN AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE OPENING ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF, LATCH MEMBERS LONGITUDINALLY MOVABLE IN SAID HOUSING INCLUDING OPPOSED PUSHER MEMBERS AND AN INTERMEDIATE PUSHER BETWEEN THE OPPOSED PUSHED MEMBERS, LATCHING MEANS ON SAID LATCH MEMBERS COOPERATING WITH SAID OPENING IN SAID HOUSING, RESILIENT MEANS BETWEEN EACH OF SAID OPPOSED PUSHER MEMBERS AND THE INTERMEDIATE PUSHER URGING THE LATCH MEMBERS TO THEIR LATCHED POSITIONS, AND SAID STRIKE MEMBER INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY LATCHING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID LATCHING MEANS ON THE LATCH MEMBERS, SAID LATCH MEMBERS BEING MANUALLY ACTUATED SIMULTANEOUSLY TO THEIR UNLATCHED POSITION TO RELEASE SAID STRIKE MEMBER. 